The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 90
The bandage was wrapped smoothly and neatly, the knot positioned to the left, the technique clean without a single wasted movement.
This neat and efficient style made Callahan pause. It felt somewhat familiar.
Callahan remembered when Dr. L first arrived; watching the monitor as Dr. L changed Arnold’s dressing, she also used tweezers with her left hand, her movements precise and efficient.
“Identical technique… and both are left-handed…” Callahan muttered to himself.
The assistant walked over just then, handing him a file. “Mr. Langley, these are the flight records for Ms. Sloan you asked me to check. Ms. Sloan left Zamora on the same flight as Dr. L.”
Callahan’s fingers paused, dark currents surging in his eyes. It was too much of a coincidence. The same professional medical skill, the same left-handedness, the same flight… He suddenly remembered Leilani’s clean needle-throwing technique at the airport.
Callahan had a rough idea of what was going on. But confirmation would require checking everything from after Leilani turned eighteen.
“After we return, I want all records on Leilani’s adulthood, especially her movements after being released from prison.”
Four hours later, Leilani’s international flight landed.
As soon as Leilani walked out of the international arrivals exit, she saw Josiah standing nearby. The man was in a sharp suit, his face cold, his gaze locked onto her, clearly having waited for some time.
Leilani glanced at him coldly. She didn’t stop walking, passing right by him as if she hadn’t seen him.
“Leilani.” Josiah grabbed her wrist, his voice low. “What were you doing abroad?”
Leilani looked down at his hand gripping hers, her eyes as cold as ice. “Let go.”
Josiah didn’t move, instead tightening his grip. “When did you become capable enough to go abroad? Who gave you the money? Who did you sleep with to get here?”
A barrage of questions rained down.
Leilani suddenly smiled. The smile didn’t reach her eyes; it dripped with undisguised
sarcasm.
15.04
“Josiah,” Leilani used a clever maneuver to pull her hand free. “I recall we severed ties. My business is none of yours.”
Josiah’s face darkened. “You think I want to butt into your business? If I hadn’t failed to find you at Celestial Heights, I wouldn’t have known you were capable of this!”
“You went to Celestial Heights to investigate me? Your family still loves meddling so much.”
The words of the Sloan family were nothing but hot air. She was serious about cutting ties, but none of them took it seriously. When they didn’t need her, she was a stranger. When they wanted to cause trouble, they relied on blood ties to harass her. They always thought they were right.
However, it was good that Josiah was here. It was the perfect time to return the one hundred dollars she had borrowed from him when she cut ties.
She pulled a stack of bills from her bag and held them out to Josiah. “Here is one thousand. Ten times the hundred you gave me as charity. From now on, we are even.”
Josiah stared at the money, his expression turning increasingly ugly. Suddenly, he raised his hand and slapped the bills away! The paper money scattered across the floor, drawing sideways glances from passersby.
“Leilani, do
you think climbing a high branch gives you the right to show off in front of me?” He sneered, his eyes full of contempt. “Your money? Who knows what dirty means you used to ear
earn it? I don’t want it! Consider what I lent you charity; you don’t need to pay it back.”
Leilani looked quietly at the scattered bills, her eyes showing no fluctuation.
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.